Teens Indicted In Fatal Burning

Two Ford Heights teenagers were indicted Wednesday on murder charges in connection with the slaying of a Chicago Heights man and will be arraigned Dec. 5 in Circuit Court in Markham.

Wardell McClain, 17, and Michael Armstrong, 16, were being held on $1 million bond each for allegedly setting Richard Will, 31, on fire Oct. 18 on a Ford Heights street. Will died later that morning.

Will and a friend, Cecil McCool, 32, were driving in Ford Heights when their car was stopped by police for a traffic offense in the 900 block of East 16th Street, according to Ford Heights Lt. E.K. Haynie.

McCool was then arrested for violating an order of protection, and Will allegedly left the scene. McCool initially claimed Ford Heights police left Will in the neighborhood after he begged for a ride, but that claim has since come under question by state police and his own lawyer.